Economic Valuation of Rhizobium Bio-fertilizer for Production of Haricot Bean in Wolayta Zone, SNNP Region, Ethiopia

摘要

Microorganisms as components of biodiversity play important roles in different economic sectors including agriculture, pharmaceutical and in other industrial products. In Agriculture they are used as bio fertilizers and biological control agents. The biological nitrogen fixation by Rhizobium species and other bacteria is safe and cheap source of nitrogen fertilizer. A questionnaire based survey was employed in Wolayta zone of SNNP to determine the Willingness to Pay (WTP) for Rhizobium bio-fertilizer for production of haricot bean. A total of 50 respondents from two kebeles were involved in the study and proportionate random sampling was used to draw informants from the population of bio-fertilizer users. Results showed that average yield of haricot bean are 10.17 quintals using bio-fertilizer, and 3.65 quintals without bio-fertilizer and there is a difference of 6.52 quintals. Yield and WTP are positively correlated with each other. As the mean yield of haricot bean with bio-fertilizer exceeds by 6.52 quintal, the difference is significant (t=8.5, sig.= 0.000) at 95% level). Thus it may be possible to conclude that the gain from the use of the bio-fertilizer estimated the economic value of the rhizobial bacteria used as input for the production of haricot bean.